


Black Eagles Soar on Verdant Winds

by Joedonfred12345



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Black Eagles Students as Family (Fire Emblem), Black Eagles Students-centric (Fire Emblem), Fire Emblem: Three Houses Golden Deer Route, Full Recruitment (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), Golden Deer Students as Family (Fire Emblem), Mentioned Golden Deer Students (Fire Emblem)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:21:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28636206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Joedonfred12345/pseuds/Joedonfred12345
Summary: When the Professor vanishes and Edelgard declares war on Fodlan, a fully recruited Black Eagle House is left in limbo. Surprisingly, it is Ferdinand who gives them direction once more. All it takes is one act of defiance, and the Eagles shall fly again.
Relationships: Ferdinand von Aegir & Black Eagles Students
Kudos: 14





	Black Eagles Soar on Verdant Winds

**Author's Note:**

> My take on what happened to the Black Eagles during the timeskip. Also, because Edelgard is framed as an antagonist in the Verdant Wind route that is how I am framing her here.

When Garreg Mach falls and the Professor disappears the Black Eagles... leave. They shuffle awkwardly off. They find their ways home.

Except Petra. 

The others are natives of the Empire and might be forgiven for standing against her, but Petra was a vassal and a hostage, and she will be killed. So she vanishes, leaving Imperial soldiers riddled with arrows in her wake. Those “private lessons” with Claude seemed to have payed off.

The Eagles are in limbo, frightened and nervous. Two months ago they would not have feared what Edelgard would do. Two months ago they did not know that she was capable of this. Bernadetta hides in her room, Caspar and Linhardt walk on eggshells in their own homes, Dorothea returns to her Opera House.

And Ferdinand?

Ferdinand wanders an empty house. His father is arrested. His servants have been dismissed. His lands have been taken from him and his title and life could very well be next. He is numb. Everything he thought was valuable has been stripped from him. His allies in the nobility have abandoned him or been arrested themselves. His classmates send him tentative letters of encouragement, but little else.

Ferdinand thinks of the Professor. He thinks of Claude and his friends.

Ferdinand thinks of the Professor, and their gentle encouragement and stalwart strength.

He thinks of Claude, rakish grin and iron-clad optimism about the future.

He thinks of the Golden Deer. He thinks of how they accepted him and the other Eagles without question. How they never doubted their loyalty even as their own countrymen stormed the gates of Garreg Mach.

Ferdinand thinks of these thinks, looks Edelgard dead in the eye, and says no.

He denounces Edelgard. He denounces her ambitions and her methods. He calls her a monster and a disgrace to this August Hall. He spits at her feet at storms out of the Palace. He flees Enbarr like a thief in the night, alone and with only the clothes on his back and the spear in his hand.

He lives the life of a penniless vagabond, but he is not alone for long.

It is Petra who finds him first. Flanked by Brigid Hunters, all officially “traitors” to their home, but secretly all there with her grandfather’s blessing. She commends his courage and hugs her old friend. He learns to hunt and survive from them.

He learns to fight back.

Next are Caspar and Linhardt, together as they always are. The come with whole battalions of their Houses’ soldiers who have also turned coat against the Empire. Cspar praises his “guts of steel” for defying Edelgard in such a spectacular fashion. Linhardt merely hugs his friend and asks where the nearest napping spot is. Ferdinand is nearly in tears.

Then it’s Bernie. Sweet, nervous, wonderful Bernadetta, having crawled out of her window and fled to her friends. Ferdinand’s heart is bursting with pride for brave little Bernie and sweeps her into a hug, much to her chagrin.

The last is Dorothea.

Dorothea, who still distrusts him as she does all Nobles. Dorothea who still seems to hate him for reasons he cannot fathom. Dorothea is here. She is here because she believes he is right. He is spared from a long and awkward conversation by Bernadetta and Petra enthusiastically greeting her.

Soon more deserters flock to the Eagles. More and more, horrified by Edelgard’s actions and looking for a way to defy her. Others are the common folk, left beggared by the war and looking for a way to fight back Ferdinand finds himself at the head of a small army of rebels.

They live as bandits, cutting supply lines and stealing contraband, deviling Edelgard’s war effort. Their impact seems small, but it is enough to weaken her war machine.

Their names become a rallying cry for the Empire’s enemies. The Black Eagles. They are proof, proof that the legendary Flame Emperor can be defied. Proof that she can fail.

Caspar and Petra train their men to fight and survive. Linhardt and Dorothea keep them healthy and ease the passing of the dying. Bernadetta is a shadow in the camp, appearing every now and then with hand-knitted blankets and comfort items. And Ferdinand leads them with all the will he can muster.

And when the time to keep their promise comes around, they return to Garreg Mach with heads held high, and a smiling Golden Deer House and Professor there to greet them.


End file.
